Liz Heldens, creator of NBC‘s 2009 medical drama Mercy and last season’s mystery drama Deception and co-creator of the network’s summer series Camp, is a step away from returning to NBC’s primetime with a pilot order for her latest project, drama Salvation. Produced by Universal TV and David Janollari’s studio-based David Janollari Entertainment, Salvation is a family saga set against the backdrop of a Texas mega church where faith, family and corruption are explored in equal measure. The pilot centers on Jennifer Strickland, who has to defend her children, church and religious beliefs after her husband dies under mysterious circumstances. Heldens wrote the script and is executive producing with Janollari. This marks the first pilot order for Janollari, in the first year of an overall deal at NBC. It is NBC’s seventh drama pilot as the network has been particularly aggressive, ordering 14 pilots (7 comedy, 7 drama) and two straight to series projects (Tina Fey/Robert Carlock and Mr. Robinson) so far.

11 Comments

That Salvation plot line sounds exactly like the pilot story for Good Christian Bitches.

Deja Vu • on Jan 16, 2014 1:44 pm

Yeah. Didn’t they try this series already?

Eye-Fi • on Jan 16, 2014 1:44 pm

Look at her track record. Camp is a trivia question no one will ever get.

Jeff • on Jan 16, 2014 1:44 pm

I never realized Liz Heldens was so attractive.

Ed • on Jan 16, 2014 1:44 pm

So, the guy who brought you 3 failed series is about to get the green light for a 4th?

Curt • on Jan 16, 2014 1:44 pm

Yep, and that’s four more than you.

TheWatcher • on Jan 16, 2014 1:44 pm

Yes, @ ED. This is the Name Game. The same people get the same opportunities over and over. You know with phrases like “The best new ___(fill in genre of choice)__ this season”. Then its shoved down everyone’s throat in promos until it bombs. Next season we get to do it all over again.

FFSG • on Jan 16, 2014 1:44 pm

Isn’t there a little Kurtzman/Orci pilot at CBS also named SALVATION?

umm • on Jan 16, 2014 1:44 pm

This sounds nothing like the super shallow, GCB. I hope NBC let’s them push the content and social discussion with this.

Gus • on Jan 16, 2014 1:44 pm

If this show was on A&E im sure it will be a hit. However, NBC tends to dilute good dramas for episode allocation sake so im sure it will die a slow painful death.

Maximus Decimus Meridius • on Jan 16, 2014 1:44 pm

Sounds legit. I keep thinking that one day Hollywood will learn that having a bunch of left coast liberals attempting to authentically portray evangelicals makes about as much sense as a bunch of evangelicals attempting to write an authentic gay sitcom.